


It's Time

by BrokenBookAddict



Series: It Was Never Hiding [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Dorks in Love, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Love, Prompt- I think today might be the day, Relationship Reveal, Relationship(s), Romance, Secret Relationship, Secrets, SnowHarry, Snowells, Snowellsweek2019, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Tumblr: snowellsweek, day three
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 21:46:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19281814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenBookAddict/pseuds/BrokenBookAddict
Summary: The time has come for them to be truthful about the change in their relationship.





	It's Time

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own the flash. 
> 
> Day 3- Snowells week- prompts- I think today might be the day.

The weather today has been glorious. The sky clear above the city, the sun beaming down upon them. As the clock approaches seven, the evening air is still warm. Great weather for a party to celebrate a birthday.  
  
Standing in front of her mirror in the bathroom, Caitlin finishes up swapping her earrings. She's partially ready, her bottom half clad in jeans so tight their like a second skin. Up top, there's only her blush pink bra covering her, the blouse she's chosen for tonight, ready on her closet door.  
  
She smiles when she feels warm tender lips on her left shoulder, gentle hands at her waist pulling her back into a strong body.  
  
"I'm going to leave."  
  
Caitlin meets his eyes in the mirror. "Okay. I'll see you there." She turns her head to kiss his jaw, the day old stubble rough under her lips. It's a sensation she enjoys, especially the scratch along her inner thighs. "Don't forgot the present, it's by the door."  
  
Harry nods before burying his face into her neck, inhaling deeply as if drinking in her scent. His hands tighten at her hips.  
  
Caitlin's eyebrows furrow when he doesn't move away. He's been a little off all afternoon. "You okay?"  
  
He hums against her, his mouth brushing across her skin. He stays holding her, his hands sliding around to her stomach for a few seconds longer before he pulls away.   
  
She watches him move around the bedroom, to his side of the bed where he picks up his phone and keys. She leans against the doorframe, eyes worried as he turns to the door. She thinks he's about to leave like he said when he stops. He doesn't move forward or turn around instead keeps his back to her where they stand on opposite sides of the room. The worry deepens. About to ask if he really is okay, she's cut off when he speaks.  
  
_"I think today might be the day."_  
  
The worry is replaced by confusion. "What?"  
  
He finally turns to her, his face open and honest, totally unlike this afternoon, where he had been as closed off as ever, even with her.  
  
He leans his shoulder against the door, legs crossed and arms folded. It's almost a defensive stance.  
  
"We should tell the team," he says softly. "It's Joe's birthday, we'll all be there. It's a good opportunity."  
  
Caitlin is surprised. It's not like she's opposed to it, of course not, it's just she's surprised that he's the one proposing now to be the time. For someone who likes his privacy, who doesn't like questions, he sure is openly himself up to them.  
  
"What's brought this on?"  
  
Running a hand over his face, Harry shrugs. He's acting nonchalant except his face says different. There's something he's not saying.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
He sighs, heavily, like all the air is escaping his lungs. "I wanted to kiss you." Her face must show her confusion because he elaborates. "I want to kiss you all the time and I wanted to earlier when you brought me coffee. It's never bothered me before, keeping this separate from the lab but earlier, it did. It made me realise how much I hate this."  
  
Caitlin face falls. "You hate this."  
  
Seeing that she has taken his words not as he intended, he shakes his head and moves towards her. "That's not what I meant. I don't hate this," he tells her, motioning between them. "This is everything and more than I ever thought and as much as I love the solitude we've had, I also hate it. I hate that because of it, I can't touch you or kiss you without it turning into a thing, without us being bombarded by a million questions."  
  
All she can do is nod in understanding because she does, understand that is. The amount of times a day where she has to stop herself from leaning into him, holding his hand, kissing his cheek hello. Having to hide her worry when he's hurt or in danger.  
  
"We knew what not telling them would mean."  
  
Harry sighs and pulls her into him.  
  
"I know but I think it's the right time to tell them. I don't want to hide what we have anymore."  
  
"We weren't hiding." She looks up at him, holding his gaze. "But I agree that it's time. We'll show up together and tell them."  
  
When he leans in to kiss her, they both feel an ease settle within them they had been missing. The weight of keeping their relationship from the team finally lifting.

When they step up onto the West porch, the voices and laughter of the team within floats out to greet them. They stand in front of the door, gifts bags in hand ready to take this next step and not just through the doorway.  
  
There's a nervous fluttering in the pit of her stomach as she looks to Harry and she finds reassurance and love gazing back at her. He always manages to ease her with just one look. He leans towards her, his lips leaving a kiss against her crown before she plucks up the courage to knock at the door.  
  
Barry opens the door with a smile. "Hey guys, come in."  
  
Harry guides her in with a hand on the small of her back, passing Barry who wanders away back to the others after closing the door.  
  
Caitlin slips of her coat, handing it over to Harry as he hangs them beside the door. She smiles her thanks before she turns her attention to the birthday boy who steps forward to welcome them.  
  
"Happy birthday Joe," she offers happily, handing over his gift before wrapping the older man in a hug. When she steps back she watches Harry offer the same sentiment minus the hug, the men settling for a firm handshake instead.  
  
"Come in, get yourselves some drinks." Joe bids them, placing his gifts off to the side to open later with the others. "Dinner won't be too long, we're eating outside."

As tempting as alcohol sounds at this moment, the time is now. They had agreed to tell the team straight after arriving, instead of delaying the inevitable. It would also allow them the opportunity be themselves, to not have to hide when they wanted to be near each other.  
  
Caitlin meets Harry's eyes and he nods, stepping up to her side. A united front.  
Strong side by side as they stand on the steps just inside the door looking down at the people gathered the living room.  
  
"Uh guys?" Caitlin says hesitantly, drawing everyone's attention to her. "There's something you should know."   
  
"What's wrong?" Iris asks immediately, looking between the couple.   
  
"Nothings wrong," Harry replies, reassuring the other woman. "It's something good."  
  
Caitlin smiles at that, relaxing a little bit more. She doesn't know why she's so worried. These people are her friends, her  _family_.  
  
"I know it's your birthday Joe and we don't want to take away from that but we have something to tell you." She glances at the man by her side, reaching for his hand before she looks back to the team. Every set of eyes are trained upon their now joined hands. "We're together."  
  
Confusion clouds Ralph's face. "Together? Together how?"

Harry rolls his eyes and for once doesn't offer a sarcastic comeback. 

Cisco looks from where Caitlin's hand is linked with Harry's up to meet her eyes. "You're dating," he says it like a statement more than a question.   
  
"We are, yes."  
  
Iris, from where she's sat on the arm of Barry's chair, joins the conversation. She looks far too curious about this development. "Is this a recent thing?"  
  
Caitlin looks to Harry with a smile. "No, it isn't."  
  
"What do you mean?" Barry questions, leaning forward where he sits in the armchair. "How long has it been going on?"  
  
Caitlin hesitates and Harry senses it. He knows how she has worried that the team will be hurt or offended by the fact they have kept this from them, even though it was never about that. So, he takes over, squeezing her hand as he does. "It's been five months," he tells them and he sees the moment the words hit home but before they can say more, he continues, cutting off any outburts. "This was never kept from you because we didn't want you to know or because we were hiding or ashamed. It was none of that. We wanted time and privacy. That's all it was."  
  
When the rest stay silent, Ralph steps forward to ask, "why tell us now?"  
  
"Because the time is right."  
  
"Is... is this serious?" Barry asks, gesturing between them.  
  
This time it's Caitlin who answers, taking back over with a definite reply. "It is, very much so."  
  
Harry moves his gaze from the scarlet speedster to Cisco. Surprised though he hides it to see the younger man staring him down. He thought the younger an would have more too say.  "Can I help you, Ramon?"  
  
Cisco's gaze never wavers and Harry realises that this is the older brother routine coming into play. He doesn't expect anything less considering how close he is with Caitlin.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
It's not a question he was expecting if he's being truthful and yet it makes perfect sense that it's been asked. He doesn't expect anything less.   
  
"Cisco--" Caitlin warns softly, her voice low.  
  
Harry knows exactly what she's attempting to do. He has never been one for talking about his feelings with others except for those closest to him. The exceptions of course being Jesse, his late wife and now Caitlin. They were the only ones to see a side of him that was hidden from public view, the side that was soft and caring, open and affection. A side where he's comfortable to talk about his feelings. He remembers when she'd told him in the early hours of the morning, naked and wrapped up in each other, trading kisses and touches, of how surprised she was to see this side. How passionate he could be, not just in his work but in his love.  
  
And it's because of his love for Caitlin that Cisco's question deserves an honest answer. He smiles one of those smiles at Caitlin that is only ever reserved for her before looking at the team.  
  
"Yes, I love her."  
  
It never fails to amaze her, this man and Caitlin's heart swells even more with love for him. To hear him declare it to the team, means a thousand times more than she ever imagined it would.  
  
"Oh," Cecile murmurs, looking far too pleased beside Joe who's smirking at them.  
  
Cisco nods, clearly satisfied by Harry's confirmation. "Then I'm happy for you," he sound genuine before he pauses. "But if you hurt her--

"I know," Harry replies. "And I wont." 

"We're so happy for you." Barry stands from his chair, looking like he wants to hug the couple which wouldn't be out of character for him.

Harry shuts that down with a firm look.  
  
"We just wanted you to know," Caitlin says with a smile, more relaxed than she had been, happy to finally be free and open with her relationship with Harry. "And now that you do, lets get back to why we're here in the first place, to celebrate Joe's birthday."  
  
The words break the spell and after that they easily ease back into the birthday celebrations. They drink, talk and laugh. They eat to much food, wonderfully cooked as always, another grandma Ester recipe. Throughout it all, there had been looks from the others and they understood, of course it would take a little getting use to. Caitlin hadn't been surprised either when she'd been cornered by Iris and Cecile, both demanding they meet up and talk about how this all came to be. She smiled and agreed, knowing there was no way out.  
  
It is later when the team are gathered around, scattered here and there on chairs, the sofa and the floor having come back inside when the air started to chill. Alcohol flows while a game of charades takes place. Off to the side, leaning against the wall that separates the dining and living area is Harry. He smiles when Caitlin excuses herself to join him.  
  
"Hi," she whispers, wine glass in hand.  
  
"Hi." He raises an eyebrow when she steps into him and he wraps an arm around her. He closes his eyes, shifting his head so he's able to rest his forehead against the side of hers.  
  
"I'm feeling a little bit tipsy," she reveals while giggling, whispering against his skin.  
  
Harry chuckles. "You don't have to worry, I'll carry you home."  
  
"My knight in black armour." Caitlin laughs and pulls back, she doesn't hesitate in kissing him and it feels so good. The knowledge that they no longer have to show restraint. Now she can do this whenever she wants. It's an intoxicating thought.   
  
If they were paying attention, they would have noticed the pause in the game and how every set of eyes turn to rest upon them.  
  
They don't, at least not until they pull away and Harry looks over. He does nothing more than roll his eyes as a pretty blush creeps into Caitlin's cheeks.  
  
As the others go back to their game, they stand and watch, in each others arms content and happy surrounded by their friends... their family.  
  
The end.  
 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. 
> 
> This is a sequel of sorts to yesterday's fic- By day, by night. 
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed this. More will be along tomorrow.


End file.
